Parameter estimate initialization using interpolation

Abstract

A receiver is described herein that is capable of receiving and processing a radio signal and further capable of using interpolation to initialize receiver parameters when there is a change in at least one delay associated with the received radio signal or when there is at least one new correlator position. For instance, the receiver parameters that can be initialized include: (1) channel coefficients; (2) AFC parameters; (3) tracking parameters; (4) noise statistics (noise correlations); (5) signal statistics (channel coefficient correlations); (6) data statistics (despread values or chip samples); or (7) combining weights.

1 . A receiver that receives and processes a radio signal and then uses interpolation to estimate an initial value of a parameter when there is a change in at least one delay associated with the received radio signal.  
   
   
       2 . The receiver of  claim 1 , wherein said interpolation that estimates the initial value of the parameter uses existing parameter estimates.  
   
   
       3 . The receiver of  claim 1 , wherein said interpolation that estimates the initial value of the parameter uses searcher information.  
   
   
       4 . The receiver of  claim 1 , wherein said interpolation that estimates the initial value of the parameter uses a combination of existing parameter estimates associated with existing delays and searcher information such as at least one of a complex/delay profile (CDP) and a power/delay profile (PDP).  
   
   
       5 . The receiver of  claim 1 , wherein said interpolation is linear interpolation.  
   
   
       6 . The receiver of  claim 1 , wherein said interpolation is Wiener interpolation.  
   
   
       7 . The receiver of  claim 1 , wherein said parameter is a channel coefficient.  
   
   
       8 . The receiver of  claim 1 , wherein said parameter is an automatic frequency correction (AFC) parameter.  
   
   
       9 . The receiver of  claim 1 , wherein said parameter is a tracking parameter.  
   
   
       10 . The receiver of  claim 1 , wherein said parameter is a noise statistic.  
   
   
       11 . The receiver of  claim 1 , wherein said parameter is a signal statistic.  
   
   
       12 . The receiver of  claim 1 , wherein said parameter is a combining weight.  
   
   
       13 . The receiver of  claim 1 , wherein said parameter is a data statistic.  
   
   
       14 . The receiver of  claim 13 , wherein said data statistic corresponds to received sample data.  
   
   
       15 . The receiver of  claim 13 , wherein said data statistic corresponds to despread data.  
   
   
       16 . The receiver of  claim 1 , wherein said receiver is a RAKE receiver.  
   
   
       17 . The receiver of  claim 1 , wherein said receiver is a chip equalizer.  
   
   
       18 . The receiver of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one delay associated with the received radio signal is a new finger position when said receiver is a RAKE receiver.  
   
   
       19 . The receiver of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one delay associated with the received radio signal is a new tap position when said receiver is a chip equalizer.  
   
   
       20 . A wireless communication system comprising: 
 a transmitter capable of transmitting a radio signal; and    a receiver including: 
 an antenna capable of receiving the radio signal;  
 a radio frequency (RF) processor capable of processing the radio signal; and  
 a baseband processor capable of estimating at least one delay associated with the processed radio signal and further capable of using interpolation to initialize a parameter when there is a change in the at least one delay associated with the processed radio signal.  
   
   
   
       21 . The wireless communication system of  claim 20 , wherein said baseband processor includes a weight formation unit which uses existing parameter estimates to interpolate an estimated initial value of the parameter.  
   
   
       22 . The wireless communication system of  claim 20 , wherein said baseband processor includes a weight formation unit which uses searcher information to interpolate an estimated initial value of the parameter.  
   
   
       23 . The wireless communication system of  claim 20 , wherein said baseband processor includes a weight formation unit which interpolates an estimated initial value of the parameter by using a combination of existing parameter estimates and searcher information.  
   
   
       24 . The wireless communication system of  claim 20 , wherein said baseband processor uses linear interpolation to initialize the parameter when there is a change in the at least one delay associated with the processed radio signal.  
   
   
       25 . The wireless communication system of  claim 20 , wherein said baseband processor uses Wiener interpolation to initialize the parameter when there is a change in the at least one delay associated with the processed radio signal.  
   
   
       26 . The wireless communication system of  claim 20 , wherein said parameter is at least one of: 
 a channel coefficient;    an automatic frequency correction (AFC) parameter;    a tracking parameter;    a noise statistic;    a signal statistic;    a data statistic; and    a combining weight.    
   
   
       27 . A method for parameter initialization in a radio signal receiver, said method comprising the steps of: 
 estimating at least one delay associated with the received radio signal; and    using interpolation to estimate an initial value of a parameter when there is a change in at least one delay associated with the received radio signal.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said interpolation that estimates the initial value of the parameter uses existing parameter estimates.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said interpolation that estimates the initial value of the parameter uses searcher information.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said interpolation that estimates the initial value of the parameter utilizes a combination of existing parameter estimates and searcher information.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said interpolation is linear interpolation.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said interpolation is Wiener interpolation.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said parameter is at least one of: 
 a channel coefficient;    an automatic frequency correction (AFC) parameter;    a tracking parameter;    a noise statistic;    a signal statistic;    a data statistic; and    a combining weight.